MercyCare Joins Vision for Cecil Avenue

MercyCare has announced plans to build Perth’s first intergenerational care campus in Cannington. 

CEO of MercyCare Anthony Smith said, “We are excited at the prospect of building a facility that incorporates residential aged care with a wide range of community services that will benefit the wider City of Canning residents.”

The transit-orientated development (TOD) site is within the City of Canning’s Canning City Centre redevelopment, a council-initiated rejuvenation project focusing on generating new jobs, investment and lifestyle opportunities.

The transformation of Canning City Centre into a vibrant, re-energised hub is already gaining momentum, with the City of Canning’s Headline Gross Regional Product (GRP) jumping up by 14.9% in the 12 months to June 2018 compared to the previous year.

Georgiou Developments became an integral part of the redevelopment project in May last year when it purchased a hectare of land on Cecil Avenue from the City of Canning. It has since subdivided the land into three new development parcels, selling the largest of the sites to not-for-profit care organisation MercyCare.

MercyCare is now collaborating with Georgiou Developments on the design of the new intergenerational care campus, which will be the first of its kind in Perth. Jon Smeulders, Executive Director at Georgiou Developments, said MercyCare’s plans represented the first stage of Georgiou Developments’ masterplan for the Cecil Avenue site.

“The site we have is a pivotal one, with the City of Canning ready to spend around $70million upgrading Cecil Avenue,” Mr Smeulders said.

“It’s a great TOD location, with rail and frequent bus services, along with really good existing amenity, such as the recently expanded Westfield Carousel Shopping Centre, Cannington Leisureplex and Curtin University all close by.”

The State Government’s Metronet blueprint includes Perth’s first east-west rail link, which will include direct access to the revitalised city centre. As part of its masterplan for the Cecil Avenue site, Georgiou Developments has created a number of development sites, paving the way for between 300 and 400 new dwellings.

“We are still in the planning stages but are proud to be part of the vision for Canning City Centre, which has the support of a determined local authority with a fresh ‘can do’ attitude,” Mr Smeulders said.

The new MercyCare intergenerational campus will also be adjacent to a soon to be developed Urban Stream, a parkland area featuring walking paths, boardwalks and seating. Anthony Smith said the not-for-profit’s newest campus would be the first of its kind in Perth.

“We’re drawing on seven years of intensive research, including on the east coast and overseas, to design and build Perth’s first transport-oriented intergenerational mixed-use development,” Mr Smith said.

“This new development will help MercyCare achieve our vision for people and communities to thrive. At the core of this community care campus will be the desired outcomes of social connection and wellness. It will include 120 residential aged care places, along with expanded services for seniors, youth and those most vulnerable in the community.”

“We are hopeful that our application for 120 residential aged care places is successful with the Department of Health’s 2019 Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR). If successful, jobs at the new campus could be advertised as early as the middle of next year.”

Construction is expected to start in the middle of 2020, with the centre scheduled to open mid 2022. Mr Smith commended the City of Canning on its vision for Cecil Avenue and the bid to set a new benchmark in transport-oriented developments.

“It has been a pleasure working with both the City and Georgiou Developments on what will be a significant addition to the amenity, living and lifestyle options offered in the heart of Cannington,” Mr Smith said.

City of Canning Mayor, Paul Ng, said Georgiou Developments’ masterplan was widely considered the ‘poster child’ for transport-oriented developments.

“It is exactly the sort of quality development and investment that the City wants to attract as part of its City Centre Regeneration Plan,” Mayor Ng said.

“We applaud both Georgiou Developments and MercyCare for their courage in thinking outside of the box, for being bold in design and developing infrastructure that dovetails seamlessly into the City’s overall vision to improve lifestyle, employment and recreational opportunities in Perth’s south-east corridor,” he said.

Find out more about MercyCare.